Determinant Assembly (DA) describes a manufacturing process that uses high tolerance digital modeling and numerical control machines to manufacture parts that can self-locate based on the precision of the mating parts, such as holes. The protection of finished hole surfaces in a given part through subsequent part processing can be an important consideration in DA, as the edges of the holes can be vulnerable to fatigue effects and contamination resulting from chemical treatments or other manufacturing processes. Existing solutions used to mask hole surfaces are labor intensive to install and remove, may not provide assurance of protection, and can be ineffective for use with non-cylindrical holes.
What is needed is an improved way to protect a finished hole in a structure during the subsequent manufacturing processes of the structure.